The second Generation
by The Night Mistress
Summary: In this story Sarah is an aunt who tries to warn her niece about the dangers of certin books, and wishes. However, her words are cast aside and another adventure into the labyrinth takes place with her niece Zoe. Please R
1. Crapy Birthday

_Discalimer: I do not own the labyrinth, character names, and or muppets. Also this story is mine and I'd appricate no one stealing it. glares Anyways please R&R and I hope you all like it._

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Zoë got up early Saturday morning around seven thirty and ran down the stairs excitedly. Today was her sixteenth birthday and it was also the day of her party. She knew that her parents would already be downstairs tending to Luther and her mother was preparing breakfast. Zoë was so excited about her "big" day, she kept playing scenes of her parents smothering her with hugs and kisses of joy for their daughter.

She was disappointed when she entered the kitchen and no one noticed her because they were bent over a screaming Luther. "Oh, now what's wrong with him now dear?" her father asked her mother frowning.

" I just don't know Chase..." her mother answered trailing off as she lifted the distraught baby from his highchair. Zoë rolled her eyes and walked to the table angrily, Luther always got all the attention if he was screaming or not and in her opinion it just wasn't fair. When Luther smiled at her from over their fathers shoulder, she stuck her tongue out at him and grabbed a piece of toast from a plate on the table.

After the whole episode at breakfast she trudged up to her room where she slammed the door shut. With her door closed she began to rummage through her clothing drawers until she found an outfit she liked then put it on. The outfit she'd chosen consisted of a pair of overalls and a printed tee that bore the logo Etenies. She studied herself in her mirror and then frowned her hair was a disaster! It was a mass of frizz and stuck up slightly at odd angles in certain places. She grabbed her brush from her vanity beside her dresser, brushed out her long wavy auburn hair and tied it back in a pony tail. "Now to brush my teeth and wash my face." she said aloud to no one in particular.

Once she'd finished the tasks of washing her face and brushing her teeth she went back into her room. Looking around her room she frowned in frustration she'd misplaced her book, and now she'd have to search for it. After she paused a moment and thought about it she began to scan her four book shelves for it. The book she was looking for was called _Labyrinth_ and it was one of her favorites. She often pretended that she was the heroine of the story and tried to memorize it's contents. Most of the time her fantasies would take her on many adventures throughout the labyrinth, where she'd eventually make her way to the center and defeat the Goblin King.

"AHHA!" she exclaimed when she finally located it in between _Sunshine_ and _Blackwood Farm_. She smiled triumphantly and then laughed when she realized most of her books consist of. They were mostly novels about vampires,werewolves and others of that ilk. She had a few others of course that were of different genres but she loved things that had to do with the occult. That was also a reason why she thought _Labyrinth _was a funny content of her book collection, as for it being her favorite that was an oddity within it's self. She knew why of course it was her favorite but the reasons were a little sketchy to even herself.

Zoë had first received the book from her great aunt Sarah when she was ten for a birthday present. She remembered it as if it were yesterday and what her aunt had said to her about the book. She'd told Zoë to be careful with it and beware the words she spoke aloud from it's contents and she also told her that books that meant something to the reader held great power. She had never know what aunt Sarah had meant by this and tried to ask Papa Toby . He'd only shrugged at Zoë and patted her head absently and told her not to worry about things Sarah said. He'd also mentioned something about a story Sarah used to tell when he were her age about him being kidnapped from goblins as a baby and that it had something to do with the book she'd given Zoë.

Now as she sat there with the book in her hands she wondered if the pages and the characters within it were really able to come true. She wanted desperately to be away from Luther and his obnoxious fits of outrage for at least some small amount of time. Also she had to admit sometimes he cramped her style too. Especially when she had to stay home and watch him every weekend. She was never able to go out with her friends or go on a date because of him and his inability to care for himself. For these reasons she wanted him to disappear sometimes but it didn't mean she didn't love him because she did. In fact she loved him so much she never aloud any of her friends to hold him because she feared they may drop him. However, Luther was a pest to her too at times and he always had something to wail about.

She sighed reflectively she got up from the floor grabbed a hoodie form behind her door. Then she walked down the stairs and into the hall , slipping on her skater shoes that also bore the logo of Etanies and walked out the front door. She wanted to go out to the park and practice the lines in _Labyrinth_ before things got too busy in the house. She looked around the yard briefly; then whistled loudly and from behind the house emerged a huge Alaskan malamute husky . His blue eyes stared up at her happily and he wagged his tail absently. "Atilla there you are." Zoë said as she patted his massive head. "You ready for a walk boy?" she asked still stroking his head. The giant dog bark once to indicate yes and gave Zoë a small nudge with his black wet nose. "All right then Atilla lets go." she continued as they strolled out of the yard and down the street.

When they finally arrived at the park she sat down on a stone bench near an intricate carved statue of a lion. Then she opened _Labyrinth_ and began her memorization's. Once she thought she had it down she put index finger in between the book to hold the page she was on and began to recite what she'd memorized. " I've come to take back the child you have stolen, for my kingdom is as great as yours and you..." she paused and opened the book scowling and read the words and then sighed angrily. "Now how can I not remember a stupid line like that." she protested and then began reciting anew. Zoë continued this for two more hours with Atilla sitting idly by watching her.

When thunder began to clap in the sky the mammoth dog got to his feet and barked at Zoë. "I know . I Know." she answered him annoyed and scowled at him. The dog only yawned and stared up into a tree nearby where an white owl was perched watching them throughout Zoë's reciting. Zoë took notice that the owl seemed to annoy the dog and she too looked up at it and shivered involuntarily. It was the biggest owl she'd over seen with giant eyes of amber that stared back at her with a unsettling human like knowledge. "come on Atilla." Zoë said a quiver of fear in her voice as she tugged on the dogs collar and another clap of thunder rumbled above them. The owl hooted eerily when she and Atilla jogged out of the park, as fat drops of rain fell on them

When they finally arrived home her mother was waiting angrily in front of the door. "Zoë where have you been? Your father and I have been worried about you, we didn't know where you'd gone." she hollered pointing her finger at Zoë.

" I just went to the park Ma. " she answered her mother as she began to usher Atilla into the house in front of her.

"Oh no Zo I don't think so, he's soaking wet. Not in my house young lady you know better." she said as she pointed her finger in the direction of the garage and looked sternly at Atilla. The dog whined once and loped off to the garage reluctantly with his tail high up in the air. Her mother scowled after him and shook her head sighing with hands upon her hips "I swear that dog thinks he owns the place."

Then she waved Zoë through the door and into the house where her father stood cradling Luther in his arms. The baby was quite for the moment and watched his sister contentedly as her mother began a long diatribe about going out and not telling her where she was going. Zoë nodded feeling unjustified and when she was sure that her mother had finished she added her own comments in. "Nice birthday this' been." she stated dryly and stormed out of the room and up the stairs into the sanctuary of her room.

Downstairs she could hear her mother and father speaking in hushed voices about her, but she didn't care. She felt used like an old T-shirt that no one wants around any more. All because it's colors are fading and it has wholes in it, so they just throw it away, and buy some new ones. It was like that she thought with her, Luther and their parents and she was the old T-shirt in the analogy. She sighed angrily pulling out _Labyrinth_ and studying it's contents once more, not caring if she were going to have a party or not anymore. She knew deep down inside that her parents really loved her and Luther the same but most of the time it didn't seem so. Luther was always the center of their attention and sometimes her parents forgot to pick her up from hockey practice because of him.

When she was three quarters of the way through the book she heard commotion from downstairs and the voice of her great aunt "Now where is my niece?" She had to bite her tongue to keep from calling down to her in answer. It made Zoë feel cheap to treat the one person in the whole world who did understand her like this but she did it anyway. She kept making up reasons to justify her decision as she heard the sounds of foot steps approaching toward her room. Before she knew what was happening there was a knock on her bedroom door then someone asking if she were okay, it was her great aunt Sarah at her door.

After a moments pause she answered "Come in Auntie Sara." Her aunt wasted no time in gliding into the room and shutting the door behind her with a soft click.

"You okay honey?" she asked as she sat down beside Zoë on the bed and patted her on the back. "I'll be fine Auntie." she said and faked a smile that she hoped would appease her aunt.

However, it didn't and Sarah looked down on her frowning and said _"Now Zoë I know somethings wrong and I think I know what it is. When I was about your age maybe a year younger I felt the same way about Toby, only it was different too. You see your grandfather Toby is my half brother he and I have a different mother. I always thought it was unfair that he had two parents and I only had one and with that one he still had more than I did." _

Zoë studied her great aunt for a second then nodded in understanding and asked "What did you do Auntie Sarah?"

Sarah smiled at Zoë sadly and shook her head regretfully as memories flooded back to her."I did one of the worst things a person can do to someone they care about, I wished him away to the Goblin King." she said a tear now trickling down her face.

" You what?" Zoë asked confused and looked at the book that now lay on her bead between her and her aunt. Sarah seen where her brothers granddaughter was looking and nodded solemnly in answer.

" I told you Zoë books can be very powerful to those who believe in them, so take my advice don't go off wishing your brother away to Goblin City."Sarah told her in a stern voice and took Zoë's hand in her own. "Now if I remember correctly you were supposed to be having a birthday party today." she continued dragging Zoë downstairs to the celebration.

Zoë wasn't surprised when she arrived down there and the normal volume of people occupied her living room ,dining room, and kitchen. A few of her friends from school had shown up too Rachel, Ian, and Mina who were assembled near a snack table. They chatted amicably to one another oblivious to the many conversations going on about them with in the spacious room. Zoë couldn't help but laugh at her friends foolishness and smiled at her aunt thankfully. Sarah mouthed the words your welcome to her and gave her a mock kick in the direction of her friends.

The party was far better than what Zoë had expected and she stayed with her friends avoiding her parents whenever possible. When the time for cake and presents came she whopped with joy, opening up a gift that contained an i-pod. She thanked Papa Toby and Grandma Aura for the wonderful gift and everyone else too even though their gifts were cards. The clock chimed eight o'clock and people began to leave giving her well wishes and an occasional kiss on the cheek.

When all her guest had finally vacated the house she collected her gifts and went up stairs grudgingly wishing her parents goodnight. Her father wished her goodnight first as he checked on Luther and kissed her on the head."Happy birthday Pumptin." he said and let her slip into her room. Her mothers goodnight came muffled behind her door with a hint of distress and then there was nothing and she fell asleep.

The next day she awoke around eight o'clock in the morning and went about her normal morning routine. She got dressed, brushed her teeth, hair,and washed her face then ate breakfast. After breakfast she went back to her room and grabbed _Labyrinth_ from her night stand and went to the park again with Atilla in tow. Atilla accompanied Zoë where ever she went and looked over her faithfully.

Once at the park Zoë began reciting from the book again still having to look at the book for the one line. She ground her white teeth in frustration every time she made a mistake unaware of the snowy owl that watched her. Atilla on the other hand took notice of the bird and kept a careful watch on it, he didn't trust it in anyway. He felt as if the owl were waiting for some cue and bared his teeth at it in a silent growl for most of the day. Around lunch time Zoë sat down exhausted upon a ornate chiseled stone park bench and sighed annoyed.

When the church bells struck five she got up looking about herself surprised. She couldn't believe that it was that late already and looked at Atilla wide eyed. "Why didn't you tell me that it was getting that late?" she chided the dog. He only whined and looked back at the large white owl again angrily. "what are you staring at?" Zoë asked of him now confused.

Seeing what it was he was so interested in she scoffed "It's only an owl Atilla come on lets get going before Mom has a fit." Atilla gave a dogs equivalent to a sigh and reluctantly started to move away from the owl. "race ya." Zoë said to him when he reached her and they ran all the way home keeping stride with one another. Usually neither of them won because they felt a strong desire to be close to one another in everything, since Atilla was a pup things had been that way.

Once they arrived home Atilla went to the back yard and to his dog house and Zoë to the house. In the house her mother was waiting yet again for her with one of her famous motherly speeches. "Zo you know that your father and I had been planning a night out for awhile now, so why do you have to pull such stunts?" she asked her daughter. Zoë only shifted her weight from one foot to another and bit her lip.

"Come on now dear you'll ruin our night if you get so angry." came her fathers voice. Zoë rolled her eyes, and waited for her mother to give up. She wanted her to leave her alone, and take Luther with her, but of course she couldn't have everything.

"If you don't leave you'll be late for your reservations." Zoë commented, and ran up the stairs.

"That girl has become so frustrating!" her mother exclaimed, handing Luther to her father, who brought him to the nursery.


	2. Meeting The Goblin King, Jereth

Chapter 2: Meeting the Goblin King, Jareth

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Once in her room she screamed into her pillow, and looked up at her clock. Zoë sighed at it, and rolled over in her bed. She could hear the car pull out of the drive way, and crying from across the hall. "Why is it that I am always left with the screaming brat?" she thought allowed to a nearby stuffed animal. Zoë rolled her eyes, and set off across the hall to see Luther, who was screaming out his little lungs.

"Oh, shut up! I've had enough of your crying, Luther! I've got a mind to just wish you away." she said angrily as she walked to the crib, and picked up the screaming baby. She started to rock him in her arms, but it was to no avail. Zoë sighed in defeat, as she bent down to place him in the crib once again before she said, "You know sometimes I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now."

With those words said she walked out of the room and back into her own where she intended to blast her stereo for awhile before checking on Luther again. However, as soon as she'd shut her door the sounds of Luther's cries had suddenly stopped and Zoë turned around to check on him.

There was no way in hell that he was asleep already, she thought, as she turned on the lights to their parents room, and walked hesitantly to the crib. What she seen there shocked and scared her stiff. She could barely move as she stared at the empty crib in shock. Her eyes were huge orbs of hazel staring at the nothingness of the crib before she shook in off,and searched the room with her eyes briefly.

She didn't see anything , but the sounds that her she heard were enough to scare any young girl. It was a combination of laughing, scuttling, and slamming of things. She turned every now and then to only turn around again. Finally she looked behind her to see the window open with a blond haired man standing before it. Zoë gasped in amazement before glaring at the man before her. "Your the goblin king aren't you? Where's my baby brother!" she demanded walking closer to him, her hands clenched in fist beside her.

The man watched her with interest before he spoke. "You resemble her a lot, but you're attitude is somewhat different from what hers was. As for your baby brother he is mine now, and I have only done what you've wished of me."

"Wished of you? What is that supposed to mean?" Zoë asked stopping a few steps before him. "I didn't wish anything to happen to Luther!"

"Yes you did, Zoë. You wished that my goblins take him and they did. However, I will offer you a gift to forget about the screaming brat."

"A gift? I don't want a stupid gift! I want Luther back!" Zoë yelled her nostrils flaring. The Goblin king chuckled while maneuvering four crystal balls between his hands.

"That's too bad, Zoë. You see these crystals show you your dreams, but it is no gift for a girl who takes care of a screaming baby." Jareth stated before he turned the crystal ball into huge python, and flung it at Zoë. Zoë stepped aside just before it reached her and stared at him angrily.

"Auntie Sarah told me about this trick of yours in the stories she'd tell me as a little girl. Now I see what she'd told me was no lie, or a mere story meant to amuse me but I will get Luther back."

"very well if you insist Zoë then I will allow you to brave my labyrinth." Jareth said.


	3. Inside The Labyrinth

Chapter 3: Inside the Labyrinth

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The next thing Zoë knew she was standing on a hill over looking a massive labyrinth, and it's entrance. She really didn't see an entrance but she thought that it was because she didn't think the goblin king would be that cruel. However, such a thing was possible but she thought she'd give him the benefit of the doubt anyway. "You want me to navigate that and make it the castle in the center!" Zoë asked astonished.

"Yes, and you only have thirteen hours in which to do so." He smirked at her before vanishing before her. Zoë sighed in frustration before she begun to walk down the hill toward a fountain where tiny insect looking things flew around.

"What are those? Oh, are they fairies!" Zoë wondered aloud before she went to touch one. The thing hissed at her before it zoomed off and away from her. _Oh yeah Auntie Sarah had said that they were mean,_ Zoë thought before she looked at the wall. "Now how am I supposed to get into here?" she wondered.

Zoë walked up to the wall where two knockers stood and shrugged her shoulders before she picked one up and began to knock. She didn't pay attention to how many time's she'd knocked before they'd opened for her but it didn't matter to her either.

The first thing she noticed was that the walls were covered in vegetation that seemed to watch her, and an endless pathways. "Does this thing turn anywhere? I mean I seen from atop the hill that there were twist and turns,but here all I see is a straight path. Maybe it turns somewhere if I start to walk?", she said as she started to walk left.

"Damn it! This place is so annoying and I haven't even gotten anywhere yet. There aren't any twist or turns anywhere that I see, and my feet are starting to ache." Zoë complained before she dropped to the floor in a heap feeling defeated and exhausted. She sighed in frustration, shook out her hair before she hung her head in shame. "I feel so stupid... I can't even figure out a labyrinth,and when my baby brother really needs me to. I am a failure."

While Zoë was feeling bad for herself the eyes on the walls watched with amusement, and a lady worm contemplated whether to help her or not. In the end the worms kind heart ended up winning over her worry of what Jareth would do to her, and her husband. "Ello, are you lost dear?" the worm asked. Zoë jumped to her feet in surprise looking for the owner of the small voice. "Over hear, dear."

"Your a ... worm?" Zoë asked in confusion as see seen her sitting on a small piece of stone jutting out from the wall.

"Aye that I am dear, but as I asked earlier are you lost?"

"I guess so, I mean there doesn't seem to be any twist or turns in this place. I just thought since it was a you know labyrinth that there would be, but I guess not."

"Dear, there are twist and turns but you aren't looking hard enough, things are never what they appear to be in this place."

"I see, but oh I don't know. Perhaps your right Miss. Worm I am taking it for granted that there aren't any turns."

"Oh, come in side now dear and have a nice cup of tea with me and my husband."

"Tea, oh that sounds lovely, but Luther."

"Inside my husband will be able to explain more about the labyrinth to you. He knows more than me, dear." The worm explained as she hoped that the girl would come inside away from the Goblin Kings spying eyes.

"All right I'll go have some tea, and see if your husband can tell me more about Jareth's labyrinth. Zoë replied before she was about to follow the worm into her house. "Ummm... Excuse me, but how do I get in?"

"Oh through there, dear." The worm said looking at a space to the right of the opening she stood in.

"Ah, excuse me again but that's a wall."

The worm chuckled before she spoke and said, "Thats taking things for granted, dear. Just try it now and you'll see."

"All right if you say so, you do live here." Zoë commented before she began to walk through the wall.


	4. Jareth's Castle

Chapter four: Jareth's Castle

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Meanwhile in Jareth's castle he was watching time go by while bouncing Luther on his knee. The baby wailed restlessly all the while and when Jareth had finally grew tired of it he handed the baby to a waiting goblin. The goblin looked at the baby in confusion, and then set him down in the middle of the floor. The other goblins walked up to the baby with interest and tried in to make him smile.

Jareth had finally gotten restless and tired of the babies loud obnoxious wailing, stood up, and looked at the goblins. "What did I do to make that other infant stop his incessant wailing! Does it ever stop?" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration.

The goblins shrunk back in fear watching to see what their liege would do next. They all feared what he'd do to them if they made a wrong move or sound. "Well I asked you a question!" Jareth stated hotly.

"My lord I believe you sang to the other one last time." one goblin said in a small voice, shrinking away from Jareth even further. The pursed it's lips together tightly, shrunk in upon itself,and waited for what Jareth would do.

"Yes! That's what I'll do, but what should I sing?" he wondered aloud.

"Perhaps what you'd sang last time, milord." a large,portly goblin stated from behind the baby.

"Hmmm... Then that is what I shall sing, then.", he said before he started singing to the baby, picking him up and tossing him up into the air.

The baby squealed in delight now, and giggled happily. Jareth smiled back at him, before he finished and sat back down. He sat Luther on his lap now paying more attention to the now content baby. "Aren't you a lively chap. You are rather like your grandfather at this age both in looks and temperament." he said petting down Luther's fine, blond baby hair.


	5. How to get into the Labyrinth

Chapter 5: How to get into the labyrinth

Zoë sat down inside the home of the worms inside the wall of the labyrinth on the floor. She waited patiently for her tea feeling awkward about being not only inside a wall, but inside the home of worms. She was reluctant to speak to the husband of the other worm she'd met earlier but now she figured it was now or never, so with that in mind she cleared her through preparing to speak.

"This is a lovely home you have here, uhm. Mr. Worm?" she commented.

"While thank you there dear, but you can call me Mr. Wiggelsworth. " the worm replied with a grin on it's face, nodding at Zoë.

"All right then Mr.Wigglesworth how do I get through the labyrinth?"

"I don't know I'm just a worm, but I can tell ya how to get into the labyrinth.

"Oh really! I would very much appreciate that it. I mean it would help me out so much!" she exclaimed as Mrs. Wigglesworth walked through the door with a tray containing a pot of tea, crumpets, and three cups for tea.

"Ah, was he of any help?" Mrs. Wigglesworth asked.

"Yes, thank you, but I'm afraid I'll have to skip the tea, however I will take one of those to go if it isn't much trouble." she said pointing to a crumpet on the heavily laden tray.

"Of course you can have one to go, but before you leave have my husband show you one of the ways into the labyrinth." Zoë nodded and took her crumpet from the tray before turning to see that Mr. Wigglesworth was half way out of the nook in the wall they called a door.

Once outside the worms home she looked at Mr. Wigglesworth while munching on her crumpet. "So which way into the labyrinth?" she asked

"Well you have to go through that wall over there." the worm said as he looked over at the wall directly across from them.

"I see but there aren't any openings there."

"O' course there are you jus aint looking right that's all. You can't take things for granted in this place."

"Okay I'll try." Zoë said while thinking in her head, _While I look like a complete fool doing it. _She walked over to left side of the wall and began to walk trough.

"Don't go that way!" The worm called after her when she was halfway trough the opening.

"Oh, why not?" Zoë asked anxiously.

"You never go that way it is dangerous." the worm explained as the vegetation on the walls stared at Zoë worriedly. The worm smiled at the Vegetation cheerfully as Zoë began to walk in the other direction.

"Thank you again Mr. Wigglesworth and tell your wife thank you as well." she said just before entering the labyrinth. The vegetation on the walls watched her in relief as she disappeared into the labyrinth.

"Whew!" the worm exclaimed rolling his stalk like eyes in relief." that was close. If she'd gone the other way she'd have walked straight into the dreadful castle.


	6. A door

Chapter 6: A door

Zoë found herself lost in the changing pathways of the labyrinth and became increasingly frustrated. She hated the fact that every time she turned around to look behind her to only find that there was a wall or some strange turn that wasn't there before hand. She sighed in aggravation before screaming aloud, "What the hell! Why can't anything stay the say here? Why must it all change and not be as it should."

"You can't take things for grated here." a voice said behind her. She turned around to see a ornately carved door, with a scene of satyrs, nymphs, centaurs, and other creatures of mythical origin.

"Who said that?" she asked looking at the door with interest before moving closer to study it more. She went to touch it but stopped it as one of the creatures sneezed. She fell back in surprise with a look of utter awe on her face before she smiled at the door and cleared her throat.

"Yes miss?" a centaur with a chestnut coat, waist length blond hair, deep set hazel eyes,and a sincere smile said. Zoë stared at him with interest and wallowed in his masculine beauty before the centaur spoke again. "You all right there?"

"Ah, yeah I'm fine. I guess but I can't seem to figure out this labyrinth and I need to get back my baby brother. He's in the castle beyond the Goblin city." she explained her face full of the sorrow she felt deep within her breast.

"I see miss and the only way out of this part of the labyrinth is trough this door as you can see. I'm afraid I can't tell you how to get to the city, however." The centaur frowned feeling as if he should be able to help this poor young girl, but he knew little about the world beyond the scene of the door he lived on.

"Oh, but where does this door lead – . What's your name now? My name is Zoë."

"They call me Maximus, but you may refer to me as simply Max. I'm also afraid I don't know where this door leads because I only live on it." he stated.

"Oh I see Max. I'm glad for the help you've given me and it was nice to meet you but I have to be going." Max nodded his understanding before he took off galloping toward an assembly of other centaurs. Zoë watched as he did so before she looked at the door itself and not what was carved on it's surface.

"All right let's go." With that said she began to open the door and looked inside it. Inside all she could see was a dark corridor lined with thick, lush shrubbery and what looked like a paved pathway. She took a deep breath before she stepped inside, squinted her eyes against the dark, and jumped as the door closed shut behind her.

Now with the door closed behind her all she could her was scuffling, suppressed laughter, and whispering. Zoë looked around herself wildly, turning this and that way only not to see anything and every time she did she heard an uproar of laughter.


	7. Jareth's Disappointment

Chapter 7: Jareth's disappointment

"Now what is that girl doing?" Jareth asked while sitting on his throne, gazing into one of his crystal balls. He curled his hands into fist seeing that she'd found herself into the labyrinth and into the garden of Mystics. "How could she have gotten this far? She should have given up by now!" he shouted in frustration.

"She'll never give up milord." A long nosed, big eared goblin stated in a raspy voice before falling to the ground with his head touching the ground in a kind of bow. He feared Jareth's wrath and what his comment might bring to him as a punishment, so he graveled at his king's feet.

"Perhaps she will when she finds she has to start all over again. No one has ever resisted the brownies laughter. All who've entered the garden of Mystics have fallen pray to their evil tricks and been led to the beginning of the labyrinth or worse, however they have been given strict instructions not to harm her. They have been told to only lead her back to where she'd started."

"Excuse me your Grace but how can we be so sure that they will listen? I only mean remember the last time you gave them instructions?" A brave goblin Knight asked.

"Yes, to make sure of that I plan to watch very carefully at this point to make sure that they do not cause her any harm" Jareth stated as he looked up from his "crystal gazing at the knight who'd spoken. The knight bowed at Jareth with respect and back away still bowing before getting to the door and turning to leave.

"Perhaps I should give that one a permotion..." Jareth stated absently and turned back to his crystal. Baby Luther sat on the floor not far from his boots playing with the many goblins that surrounded Jareth's throne room.

He laughed joyously as the goblins made faces at him making there already unpleasant faces even more unpleasant. This didn't bother Luther any at all, however, in fact he loved it! He clapped his small hands as they made there faces too all with a big smile on his tiny face and now and then Jareth would look down and smile at him. The goblins who witnessed this wondered what about the child made him smile in such a way but didn't dare ask.


	8. The Brownies

Chapter 8: The Brownies

The Brownies watched the girl with delight and chattered amongst themselves with glee. It had been ages since they been able to hounder anyone and this girl was perfect for them. She was a pretty little thing and seemed to be a bit frightened as she took small, careful steps trough there home.

"Hey Tellie, you think we should obey Jareth? His rules are so boring and I think we should keep this one. Why should he get what he always wants and we are left out in the dust." one Brownie whispered to another.

"Yes, I agree we should keep here here with us. I mean she may not be like us, but the fairies don't visit anymore and it is boring without the companionship of a female. " the one called Tellie stated, and the rest of the goblins nodded there agreement.

"Yes, let us keep her in our garden where she will never age." The rest of the brownies agreed. With that decided one brownie appeared in front of Zoë with a smile on his delicate face. Zoë jumped up frightened at his sudden appearance and held her hand over her heart.

"What are you? And where'd you come from?" she asked a little breathy from the fright he'd given her.

"Where you'd come from?" the brownie asked of Zoë and looked up at her with an innocent face.

"Me? Hey I asked you first!" Zoë said setting her hands on her hips now,and narrowed her eyes at the brownie. "Answer my question first!" she yelled at the brownie. The brownie sighed, rolled his eyes, and walked up even closer to her. "Hey stay where you are."

"Why?" the brownie asked and stopped moving. "I suppose I could tell you what and who I am... I'm a brownie and my name is Ziekel.

"Brownie? Huh, I never met a brownie before but then again I never met, a centaur or a talking worm either." she said resting a finger on her lip and staring off into space. "This sure is a strange place."

"All right I told you who I was and what, now it's your turn." the brownie said now getting a little impatient with the girl.

"Oh, my name is Zoë and why do you seem so angry all of a sudden." she asked feeling skeptical toward Ziekel. She wondered what his motives where and what he wanted from her.


	9. Confusion

Chapter 9: Confusion

* * *

Jareth stared into his crystal gripping the arms of his chair tightly, his fingers turning bone white in anger. "HOW DARE THEY!" he shouted. He got up from his chair, threw the crystal across the room, and watched as it shattered into a hundred small pieces on the floor. The goblins regarded him with a look of apprehension. They were shocked that he'd gotten this angered by what the brownies did, but they dared not ask now.

"Watch the baby, I have to go sort this out." The goblins looked at one another then at their king. They all nodded in unison before watching Jareth disappear in a shower of glitter.

* * *

The brownies watched Zoë's discomfort and giggled aloud together. Zoë jumped back in surprise upon hearing their giggles and looked at Ziekel. "What was that?" she asked him her voice now breathy and full of fear.

"I didn't hear anything, Zoë." he answered her in an innocent voice. "We brownies are innocent creatures and we wouldn't lie to such a beautiful lady as yourself." he continued crossing his small fingers behind his back. Zoë watched him still feeling as if something weren't right and closed her eyes briefly to try and get a hold of herself, however, this was a mistake and she found herself surrounded by the small, mischief loving brownies. She tried to move away from them but she found that they were all around her and there was no escape.

"Leave me alone!" She looked around herself wildly fighting to maintain her control but it was no use, her fear was beginning to win out over her better judgment. "Please, please, please, please..." she began to chant to herself softly, as she fought back tears.

"Leave her alone!" Jareth commanded, appearing beside Zoë who was no fighting even harder to regain her control. The brownies began to back off one by one and retreat into the shrubbery from where they'd come, and gave Jareth a hateful look before doing so.

"So close too." Zeikell said looking at Zoë before he too vanished into the shrubbery.

"Thank you, but I didn't need your help." she stated flatly to Jareth who still stood beside her staring into the shrubs.

"I didn't come to help you, please do not flatter yourself. I only came to see how you were enjoying my labyrinth." Zoë crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the blond haired, blue eyed, handsome man before her and rolled her eyes. _Yeah sure that's what they all say, men are so predictable, _she thought. "Well, what do you think?" he said drumming his perfect fingers against his jaw in rhythm with his heart.

"It's not so bad, but I think you should do something about it changing." she answered sarcastically. Jareth watched the way her auburn hair blew in the breeze and how her eyes reflected what she felt inside._ Why does she have such an effect on me? Should it not be I who effect her so?_, he thought as he continued to watch Zoë's emotions change. "What's up with you!" she snapped when she realized he was watching her.

"Nothing my dear Zoë but I think you should get a move on. You see time is of the essence with your baby brother and all hanging in the balance." he said with a mocking smile on his face before he disappeared in his usual shower of glitter.


	10. That smell

Chapter 10: What's that Smell

Zoë cursed herself when she realized that she'd been saved by Jareth, she gipped her hands tight;y at her side, and began to take deep breaths. "Damn it!" she whispered sharply under her breath as she fought to control the anger that welled up inside of her. Usually she was the master of control over herself but she had let everything build up inside of her, and it was begging to boil over like something that was left on the stove for too long.

After several minutes of fighting to take control of herself Zoë took a couple more deep breaths and worked her way out of this part of the labyrinth. After seeing the nasty little brownies in action she wanted nothing more to do with this gardens pleasant beauty. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her until she had to stop before she toppled over a cliff. She covered her mouth with her hand as she began to gag at an awful stench in the air. "What is that stench?"

She looked over the cliff to see a bog of incredible size stretched out below her, and all around where she stood. There were tiny patches of land that one could walk on and jump from to get to a sort of island with a bridge on it. Zoë slumped down on the wall as she realized that the only way out of this was those tiny pieces of land. "O' why me! Why did Sarah have to do this to me." she heard a male voice say.

"Who's there?" she called out and looked around herself with suspicion, as she wondered what ties he had, had with her great aunt. Perhaps it wasn't her aunt but she hadn't heard a mention of another Sarah in this entire labyrinth so far, so she doubted highly it was another.

"Who? Who are you?" The voice said, as it seemed to get closer to her. She looked down to see a short and wrinkly man beneath her. She looked at him with a new suspicion and held tightly to the wall, as the wall began to slide out from underneath her.

"This isn't good" Zoë started to say but was cut short as the part of the wall beneath her fell away. She let out a scream as she clung to the remnants of the wall fas if her life depended on it, even if in fact the bog only lay a few feet below her. However, she was reluctant to let her feet touch it. If this place was what she thought it was then she really wanted not to touch that bubbling ooze for fear of being inflicted by the stench of the bog of eternal stench. "Help me!"

"I'm coming Sarah, hold on." the little man replied in a worried tone as he hurried over to Zoë. She really didn't care that he had called her Sarah right now she only wanted to be unharmed and not contaminated with a stench worse than a thousand skunks put together. The little man stood under Zoë and put his hands around her ankles, and pulled gently. "It's okay Sarah you can let yourself fall here, it's dry land." Zoë looked down below her and sighed in relief, as she let the little man pull her to the land below.

"Thank you, but I'm not Sarah." Zoë explained, as she again checked out the bog to make sure that there wasn't another way out. The little man stared at her and waited for her to turn her attention back on him and when she didn't he cleared his throat .

" You aren't going to find an easy way out of here, you see this is the bog of eternal stench Another question is also aroused here who are you then if you aren't Sarah. You look a lot like her but then you don't." he explained as Zoë's attention turned back to him.

"Oh, right. I mean I need to get out to get out of here to find my baby brother. My names Zoë by the way and Sarah is my great aunt. People do say that I look somewhat like her when she was my age. You must be Hoggle then." Zoë said as she took a step toward another piece of land toward the bridge. "This is the right way, right?"

"Toward the Goblin city? If that's what you want to know then yes and Hoggle is my name." he explained as he too step onto another piece of land. The continued on like this for awhile before they reached the island with the bridge made of rocks, and cocked her head in interest.

"Ludo did this?" she asked looking over at Hoggle and then back to bridge made of giant rocks. Hoglge nodded and looked around the island wearily because he knew at any moment Sir. Didymus was about to appear with his precious steed.


	11. Sir Didymus

Chapter 11: Sir. Didymus

"Hoggle? Is that you and is that our fair lady?" asked a high pitched male voice.

"Yes Didymus it is me, but this is not Sarah." Hoggle explained puffing out his chest with pride. "This here is her great nice, Zoë."

"What brings you here fair lady, Zoë?"

"I am here to get back my baby brother, Luther back from the Goblin King."

Didymus nodded his head in understanding and then bit his lip. "So you are off to the Goblin city? That is a dangerous place for a young girl but if you are anything like Sarah you will succeed. He looked around the small island for something and when he seen a white bushy tail sticking out from behinds a tree he sighed, "Ambrosius, get over here now!"

Zoë followed his gave and spotted the tail of Sir. Didymus' stead Ambrosius. She looked over at Hoggle and raised her eyebrow in question but Hoggle only shrugged.

"Now Ambrosius! The fair maiden will not harm thee." Didymus explained with his gnarled hands on his hips in frustration. Ambrosius looked over at him and began to walk over with his tail between his legs. His eyes looked back and forth between his master and Zoe. He then laid down with his head between his legs in front of Didymus.

Zoë smiled at Ambrosius encouragingly and crouched down in front of them. "Aren't you a beautiful boy?" she asked, offering her hand to Ambrosius. When the dog refused to move toward her she shrugged and rose from the ground. "So do either of you know how to get to the Goblin City?"

"Yes, lady. We have been there once before with Sarah."

"Yes, we helped Sarah get her brother back." Hoggle said.

"Really? You both knew great Aunt Sarah?" Zoë asked.

They both nodded at her and looked at one another sharing memories of long ago. Zoë looked at them quizzically and then looked away across the rock bridge.

"Is it that way?" she asked in a dreamy voice.

Neither of them answered and gulped in fear of what might happen. They both remembered what Jareth had made Hoggle do to Sarah, and didn't want to see it happen to Zoë.

Although they were both absorbed in their memories it was Hoggle who answered first, "Yes the Castle of the Goblin King is located in that direction."

"I see." Zoë replied.

"Lady, are thou all right?" Sir Didymus asked. His voice vibrated with concern for Zoë and what evil Jareth might be doing to her. Zoë tuned to him and smiled.

I'm all right. I just want my baby brother back." she explained her tone of voice giving away her true feelings.

"Then let us go and get him back!" Hoggle and Sir Didymus exclaimed together.

"Thank you." she whispered to them both in deep appreciation, as Hoggle took the first step across the bridge of stones. Zoë followed him and then Sir Didymus astride Ambrosius took up the rear.


End file.
